


Wash Down Over Me

by kaleaca



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: 1800s AU (kind of), Angst, F/F, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:00:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28853943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaleaca/pseuds/kaleaca
Summary: “In that split second, by chance or fate, the woman looks Jamie’s way. Blue eyes connecting to hazel. A look of terror in them that pleads with Jamie’s soul. Invoking a feeling that she can’t begin to put words too, at least not yet.”
Relationships: Dani Clayton & Jamie, Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	Wash Down Over Me

**Author's Note:**

> Felt the need to write this at 1 in the morning because Damie. Let me know if you’d like more :)

It wasn’t long before the pub was beginning to fill up. Groups of haggard men, fresh off the returning ships, celebrating their long awaited return to solid ground. The smell of the sea had come with them, leaving the foul odour permeating throughout the air. Jamie had learned to stay clear of the streets on night like these. Nights where the men, drunk and pent up from months at sea, prowled.

“Alright Ernie, time for me to retreat for the night.” Jamie hands over her empty glass to the eccentric old man behind the bar.

“Rightly so. The sailors seem more rowdy then usual tonight.”

Jamie shivers. “Didn’t think that was possible.” 

Quickly scanning the room, she’s unnerved to find that Ernie’s right.

“Best be off then, good luck with this lot.” She offers a small smile thrown his way.

Jamie quickly makes her way through the bar, head down and trying to draw as little attention as possible. Her choice in clothing helps in situations like these, from the corner of a drunken man’s eye she would look like a small young man. Fitted black trousers, a black buttoned coat and leather boots. 

The cold air hits her as she skirts through the doors of the pub, onto the crowded street. As usual on night like these, there’s barely a women in sight. Bar a few who have been dragged along by their husbands to show off to his mates. Keeping close to the shadows, Jamie hurriedly makes her way out of the chaos, fists subconsciously clenched in preparation. With the room she rented above a grocers only a few minutes away, she knows she will likely be fine. After all, she had been in predicaments far worse then this and made it out unharmed. Well, mostly. 

However, something was different tonight. The chill in her body wasn’t just from the frigid air. An ominous feeling had been making its way up her body since she had left the pub. A resonating energy that had every hair on Jamie’s body standing. 

Passing by the empty ship yard she quickens her pace, all her senses working in overdrive, when she hears it. A scream, echoing through the empty lot, filling the air with a terror that the woman who made the sound was surely feeling tenfold. 

Jamie freezes, hidden in the shadows of the empty shipyard. She should run. Get out of here as fast as she can and don’t look back. But something stops her, something in the women’s scream she can’t abandon. Jamie creeps along to the edge of a carriage, crouching and barely breathing. Leaning forward slightly, she manages to get a glimpse of the situation unfolding. 

The sight makes her stomach twist. In the darkness of the night she can barely make out the two figures pressed against the stone wall. What she can make out however is that the man has one of his hands pinning the woman against the wall as she cries, the other hand holding something to her throat. Jamie assumes it to be a knife. 

She needs to run. Get the hell out of here. Save her own skin. 

She takes one last glance, just as the light of a passing ship illuminates the ship yard. For a second, the man and woman are in full view. And in that split second, by chance or fate, the woman looks Jamie’s way. Blue eyes connecting to hazel. A look of terror in them that pleads with Jamie’s soul. Invoking a feeling that she can’t begin to put words too, at least not yet. 

Abandoning all sense of self preservation, Jamie carefully makes her way around the carriage. A finger raised to her lips, to convey silence, hoping the woman can see her in the now returned darkness. She doesn’t have a plan, and somewhere deep down she knows what she is about to do defies all logic, but all she can see is the woman’s eyes. The feelings they made rise to the surface urging Jamie on, giving her a brazen confidence.

Adrenaline creeping through her veins, Jamie was now close enough to hear the man hushed whispers. Though his words were drunken and sloppy, Jamie could still clearly here the vile things he was saying to the woman.

“Darlin, how bout ya shut that pretty little mouth up before I put it to a better use.”

Jamie was starting to see red, a rage boiling under her skin, ready to break free and scorch the earth. Still hidden by shadows, she reaches into her coat, slowly retrieving the small blade she had long ago learnt to carry. She was only a few steps away now, the drunken mans back to her. She knows she only has one chance to get this right, one mistake and the man will undoubtedly cut the woman’s throat. But Jamie knows if she leaves, he will definitely do far worse. 

Rising from her crouch she takes a slow first step towards the man, her knife clenched so tightly in her fist she is sure it will leave bruises. 

“How about you get the fuck off her.”

With a drunken gasp the man stumbles, clumsily turning around to face Jamie, waving his knife in her direction. He begins advancing on her as she slowly backs away, trying to greater the distance between him and the woman behind him. For the second time, the woman’s eyes make contact with Jamie’s. Dark and troubled like the waves hitting the dock. Jamie’s mouths at her to run, her eyes pleading, but the woman doesn’t move.

“How about you mind yer own business, b’fore you regret it.” The man staggers towards her, weapon raised, an menacing glint in his eyes that makes Jamie even more sure about what she’s about to do.

“The only thing I regret is not doing this before I let you open your mouth.”

Summoning all the strength she has in her small but strong frame, she lunges. In one smooth, skilful motion the blade sinks into the mans chest. The woman behind him stifles a scream behind her hand. Within seconds the man has slumped to the ground, barely moving. A sickness in the pit of Jamie’s stomach begins to grow, the reality of the situation becoming clearer every second.

Remembering she has company, her eyes dart to the woman in front of her, finally able to look at her properly. Blonde hair, silver in the moonlight falling over her face. A face that’s a bit too pretty, if Jamie’s concerned. Especially for around here. The woman looks at Jamie in shock, causing the sick feeling in her stomach worse by the minute. Jamie looks away in shame. 

“We- we need to get out of here.” The woman’s voice breaking the tense silence.

Jamie looks back up, slightly startled at the accent that falls out of the woman’s mouth. American? Definitely not common around these parts, or any of England for that matter. 

“Are you alright?” Jamie gently asks, assessing the woman for injuries from a distance. 

The woman only nods. 

“I’m Jamie.” She offers quietly. 

“Dani.”

_Dani._

As their eyes meet again, something in Jamie shifts, something deep inside that had for so long been buried under years of pain and repression.

Realising she has been staring a bit too long, Jamie clears her throat and averts her eyes. 

“You’re right, we need to leave”.

Turning to go, she feels a soft tug on her coat sleeve.

“Thank you.” Dani says, eyes swimming with emotion.

Jamie gives her a small smile. “Come on then.”

Dani doesn’t let go of Jamie’s arm as they begin the walk back towards her flat, and Jamie finds that she doesn’t mind. Not one bit.


End file.
